The Kindness of Strangers
by parisindy
Summary: Beka and Harper are being chased by thugs who are looking for revenge.*COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

This is dedicated to all the nice people at the Slipstream board who have posted my stories, posted their comments, Beta read and were encouraging to me (you know who you are and thank you ...you are my inspiration)  
  
Ok mushy stuff over!! (parisindy starts to chant... 'this will not be a long story ... this will not be a long story' )  
  
I don't own them and i'm very poor but if anyone knows of a Harper or two for sale feel free to contact me [pic]  
  
UMMMM rated R because i never know what's going to happen till it does.... well here goes...  
  
********************************************  
  
The Kindness of Strangers  
  
The noise was incredible. Like a man the size of a twelve-story building stepping on a tin can.  
  
The Maru slid to ungraceful stop. Beka, who still sat at the con, pried her eyes open.  
  
"Harper we made it didn't I tell you we would!!"  
  
"OW"  
  
"OW what?" Beka quickly unstrapped and turned around. Harper lay ten feet away where he had tried to secure him self but the panel he was holding on to gave way and now lay on top of him. She hurried over to him and helped him move the panel.  
  
"Look see, your OK." Harper half believed her and tired to stand. His left leg buckled underneath him and he did his best to swallow a scream. It was a full minute before he could open his mouth with out yelling.  
  
Harper finally managed a gasp "Broken."  
  
Beka ran over to the med. supply cabinet. "Where are the nano bot injectors?"  
  
Harper looked at her sheepishly  
  
"In engineering..."  
  
Beka turned towards the engineering bay when Harper finished his sentence. "On Andromeda."  
  
"Harper you idiot!"  
  
"Well I wanted to update the nano bot programs and well we never really use those any more, and and you never crashed the Maru before…"  
  
"I did not crash!" Beka interrupted him "It was a controlled emergency landing."  
  
She took a deep breath trying to figure out a plan. 'What would Dylan do?'  
  
Harper looked up at her expectantly  
  
"Well let's get your leg wrapped up, I'll try to contact the Andromeda and then we'll see what the damage is."  
  
++++++++++++  
  
All attempts to contact the Andromeda failed. Beka wasn't too worried though. It would be only a couple of hours before someone realized they were missing. Beka had managed to find some local anaesthesia for Harper leg so with out to much trouble she had gave it her best attempt at feild dressing. Currently Harper sat in the dirt and grass near by as she walked around the Maru and surveyed the damaged.  
  
"I think it was the intake manifold that blew." He shouted over to her. The manifold had been threatening to do so for some time. It was actually a small miracle that Harper had managed to keep it from doing so in the past.  
  
"MMM maybe!" Beka shouted back.  
  
"We're lucky this planet was inhabitable! Rommie should find us, no problems, we sure left a trail for her with that explosion it was pretty spectacular."  
  
Beka was only half listening to him as she walked towards where most of the damage had occurred.  
  
"Your right it looks like the manifold!" she stuck her head into the damaged area and she noticed something unusual. "That's weird."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It looks like we hit something..."Beka reached in and pulled out a large piece of overtly bright silver metal  
  
"Beka?"  
  
"It's OK." She shouted over her shoulder  
  
"NO! Beka…"  
  
She dropped the piece of metal and looked back at Harper in alarm. Harper had a panicked look on his face and a man dressed in a long leather trench coat held a gauss gun to the back of Harper's head.  
  
Harper could feel the cold metal ring at the back of his neck. He swallowed nervously. There were four of them all together they looked like something out of really bad cowboy flexi book he had once read. Long coats, facial hair, they even smelled like livestock.  
  
Beka stood about 10 meters away Harper met her eyes and swallowed again he knew that look he closed his eyes and started to do what he did best.  
  
"OK listen guys, ummmm, I don't know who you are or what you want but we're a salvage ship with no cargo. Some of our crew went for help but they'll be right back and they all carry very big guns...and well you don't want to kill me because I'm really valuable and...." Harper was doing his best to change the focus of who ever had a gun on his neck. While Beka's free hand edged around her back.  
  
One of them men obviously annoyed lifted Harper off the ground by the scruff of his neck and turned him so they were face to face. Harper tried not to grimace in pain. The pain killer Beka had given him was starting to ware off.  
  
"Listen will you shut up!" growled the man "I will have my vengeance."  
  
"Listen buddy I don't know what the hell your talking about!" Harper was getting angry to and impatient plus he leg was really starting to throb.  
  
Though the other men still had there guns focused on Beka but their attention ever so slightly shifted to the argument. That was all she needed.  
  
From the back of her belt she pulled a low-grade explosive. "Harper" she yelled and threw the mini bomb. Harper immediately  
  
threw his hands over his face and dropped to the ground. Just then there was a loud bang and a lot of smoke. As luck would have it one of the men fell to the ground unconscious. Harper reached out and grabbed the leg of the man closest to him tripping him. He reached out and grabbed a rock about the size of his fist and hit the man in the head. 'Two down two to go' he thought. The smoke made his eyes water so he blinked rapidly to clear them. He saw Beka through the fog. 'Scratch that' he smiled as Beka quickly took care of the other two.  
  
She was then quickly at his side.  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"Yeah, you? He replied.  
  
She nodded out of breath. After a second she was able to gasp out "I wonder what that was all about?" She then reached out and helped him to his feet, pulling one of his arms across her shoulder for support.  
  
Harper leaned on her his balance precarious. "We need to get out of here Beka. That guy said something about revenge."  
  
"Well we are not going anywhere soon the Maru needs extensive work."  
  
Harper pointed to something reflecting in the distance. "There seems to be something over there, a town maybe?"  
  
Beka nodded and squinted her eyes in the sunlight. One of the men at there feet groaned. "Can you walk that far if I help you? We'll need to go quickly."  
  
"Do I have a choice?" He gave her one of his best smiles.  
  
With Harper leaning heavily on Beka they headed towards the horizon.  
  
********************  
  
Harper was leaning heavily on Beka by the time they reached the town.  
  
To say it was a town was a bit of an exaggeration thought Beka. There were  
  
large tents and canopies the whole place looked very nomadic.  
  
She set Harper down by some shrubs and they both rested before trying to make contact with anyone in the little village. She looked down at Harper's face, he looked  
  
pale and sweaty. He also hadn't said that much in the last fifteen minutes that  
  
wasn't a good sign.  
  
"How you doing sport?"  
  
"Great!" He tried to smirk back but Beka wasn't buying it.  
  
"Do you think they followed us?"  
  
"Nah, they were just a bunch of thieves, I'm sure we discouraged them."  
  
"Yeah but they said something about revenge."  
  
"You're a worry wart Seamus Harper." Beka smiled this time Harper didn't believe her. "Listen," She continued "I'm going to check out the neighbourhood you ok here?"  
  
Harper pulled out his Gauss gun and nodded. "Good I'll be right back."  
  
"Beka be careful!" he yelled after her as she walked away. She waved her hand at him without glancing back and walked in to town.  
  
Harper watched her go. He did worry. He didn't like her going into a place without backup.  
  
"Just because your paranoid doesn't mean there're not out to get you." He whispered to himself. He tried to settle himself into a more comfortable position. His leg was throbbing. He glanced back towards the way Beka had left and waited.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Beka tried not to notice the stares that followed her followed her as she wander nonchalantly around. She tried to blend in. It wasn't working so she gave up and approached the first person that didn't look like they would kill her for saying hi.  
  
"Hello, you speak common?" She spoke to an older woman who looked like she hadn't seen bath water in a while. Mind you after crossing that arid grassland with Harper she probably didn't look much better.  
  
The women stood hunched over a tray of half rotten vegetables and grunted.  
  
Beka took that to mean yes "I'm looking for a medic and a communication centre. Do you know where I can find them?"  
  
The women just grunted and seemed to get agitated. "Kobi fruit, Kobi fruit!"  
  
"I'm sorry I don't want Kobi fruit, I'm looking for a medic."  
  
"KOBI FRUIT, KOBI FRUIT!!!" the older women screamed. Beka backed away with her hands raised in defence.  
  
"Listen I didn't...." A hand grabbed her from behind and she was face to face with what might have been the women's husband. Which could only be deduced Beka thought because he came to her rescue and that he and the old women looked almost exactly the same.  
  
"Whatcha wan...!" He growled in very broken common. "We don like you kind!"  
  
A crowd was starting to grow as the older women continued to scream something about kobi fruit behind her. Beka was looking for a quick exit.  
  
"Look I don't want trouble, I was just looking for a medic."  
  
"GO AWAY!!" yelled the man raising his walking stick and waving it at Beka's  
  
head.  
  
Beka drew her Gauss gun "Back off!" Out of the corner of her eye she noticed two men on the edge of the crowd. They were two of the men she and Harper had fought. One of them was carrying the piece of metal she had  
  
pulled from the Maru. That's it time to go, she thought. And jumped around behind the old women and ran towards where she left Harper.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Harper sat waiting for Beka to return. He was getting more then a little sleepy. He chalked it up to the adrenaline from the crash and the fight leaving his body. She hadn't been gone very long but he was worried for her. He looked around the sun was on this planet and he had no clue what the nights would be like. They would need shelter soon maybe they could go back to the Maru. He glanced around he felt quite exposed the shrub he was leaning on didn't offer much protection. He rubbed his nose as it itched.  
  
"ACHOO!" Harper sneezed great his was probably allergic to his only protection. As he grew more tired his leg started to hurt even worse. He tried to look at it but Beka had but a temporary split over his pants and he couldn't see much. He could tell it was really swollen. He reached down to pull his boot off his swollen foot when he heard a noise behind him. He let go of his laces and swung his Gauss gunn at the source of the noise.  
  
"Who's there?" He whispered  
  
A humanoid man about Dylan's age walked towards Harper. The man raised his hands.  
  
"Whoa there I mean you no harm."  
  
"Yeah, well then move on." Harper waved his gun indicating the man should leave.  
  
"You're injured?"  
  
"I said GET LOST!" He was getting a bit nervous now the man showed no indication of minding his own business.  
  
"Are you alone?"  
  
"No I got a whole friggin army on the other side of that ridge so I suggest you take off."  
  
The man stared at Harper. It was like he was staring through him and it really gave Harper the creeps.  
  
"You look like someone in need of assistance."  
  
"Dou you have a communication centre?"  
  
The man knelt down a few feet away from Harper.  
  
"My people are not …ummm, interested in such modern conveniences. I am how ever a doctor."  
  
Harper relaxed a little and lowered his gun it did not however leave his hand.  
  
"You're a doctor really? What's your name?"  
  
"Albin."  
  
"Harper."  
  
"So where's this army." The man laughed  
  
"She went over the hill to find a communication centre…?"  
  
The man paled visible. "Your friend went over the hill… into the village? Is that your ship crashed back there?"  
  
"Yeah what's wrong?" Harper thought for a minute maybe he shouldn't have let his guard down. "Hey man! You leave it alone! You remove one screw from the Maru and I'll know it!"  
  
The man leapt forward quickly. Before Harper had time to raise his gun  
  
The man grabbed his leg right at the break and clamped down hard. Harper screamed in agony and the world quickly turned black.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Beka jogged back to where she left Harper. She thought she had lost the two men who attacked them in a small wooded area not far but it wouldn't belong before they found her trail. She stopped near the shrubs out of breath.  
  
"Seamus?" She called. No one answered. Her brow creased with concern. "Harper?" Nothing.  
  
She did a quick check of the area. She found his gun in the bushes and there were some marks like some one being dragged. He hand flew up to cover her mouth in distress. "Aw Gawd Harper what happened?"  
  
She stood there for a moment in shock unsure of what to do when she heard voices, she turned hoping it was Harper but it was the two men from the village. She would have to look for Harper later first she needed to lose these creeps.  
  
++++++  
  
NO!" Harper woke suddenly with a gasp. His body jerked him into a sitting position.  
  
Hands pushed him down as his head began to spin and he groaned.  
  
He blinked in the semi darkness trying to focus his eyes.  
  
"What's going on? Where's Beka?" His memories rushed over him like a tidal wave and he remembered.  
  
He jerked away from the hands that held him and jarred his leg. The edges of his vision turned red and he nearly passed out again.  
  
"Steady, friend." Whispered a feminine voice with unrecognizable accent. The women leaned into the ring of light that surrounded him and he could see her face. She was not young, about 60 maybe, she looked like a cross between a vigilante and someone's grandma. She wore a long skirt and a ragged shirt her hair was tied back with a bandana and to large knives hung at her waist. She had battle scares on the left side of her face. She leaned against what seemed like a cave wall. It must be her home he thought.  
  
"Who are you?" whispered Harper.  
  
"Emillon, you need to rest young Harper."  
  
"How do you know my name?" Harper asked more then a little shakily.  
  
"Tut, tut, so many questions. Albin told me of course. You need to rest sleep now."  
  
"To hell with THAT! I need to find Beka." Harper tried to get to his feet, putting his entire wait on the one leg.  
  
"No, you must not." She grabbed Harper's shirt pulling him down. He really didn't have much strength and it worried him. Plus how was he going to find Beka on one leg?  
  
"Your friend is lost."  
  
"Yeah I know I have to find her."  
  
"No, she's lost, as in we can not help her."  
  
"What do me lost…. SHE"S NOT DEAD!" Harper felt sick.  
  
"No calm, calm but might as well be"  
  
"What do you mean!?"  
  
"Your ship crashed?" Harper nodded in confirmation.  
  
"Well…"the women continued "The other's the one in the town are Techno's, they love the new way's."  
  
"Techno's?" questioned Harper?  
  
"Umm, yes they like the new stuff like computers and chips and things."  
  
Harper was starting to understand. "And... you don't have any of that kind of stuff?"  
  
The women shook her head. "No, that stuff complicates life."  
  
Harper shook his head, 'there goes any communication with the Andromeda' he thought.  
  
Emillon continued. "The other's they were very proud they built this ship to fly in space and no one down here has had one for a very long time. So they had a big celebration, and put two men in it and they went up." She pointed up with her finger. "They monitored from down here, a big grey flying box came along and SMASH!" Emillon smacked her hands together and Harper jumped at the sound. "No more new flying thing. Both men dead."  
  
"But we didn't see anything!"  
  
"Your ship the flying box appeared and they're flying thing hit it."  
  
"How is that possibly our fault."  
  
"You were there." She said flatly "But we non techno's don't mind we think no one belongs up there." Again she motioned with her finger. 'She is an odd bird' thought Harper.  
  
Harper shook his head in frustration. "So your saying these Techno geeks kidnapped Beka."  
  
"No but they hunt her and when they find her they will kill her for murdering their comrades."  
  
"BUT," Harper took a deep breath and spoke through clenched teeth "We didn't see them!"  
  
"No matter to anyone but you…"  
  
Harper closed his eyes despair almost overwhelmed him. "Come on Rommie where are you I need you and fast." 


	2. Chapter 2

Beka hid behind some boulders panting. It was almost completely dark. Harper was missing and she was being chased and she was clean out of ideas. All she could think of was to double back to the Maru. The creeps chasing her might not think of that. What did they want from her and Harper so badly. These men were no ordinary thieves. Her thoughts raced through her head to match the beating of her heart.  
  
She held her breath suddenly as she heard their voices less then ten yards away. This confirmed it in Beka's mind that they weren't thieves. No thief would have given himself or herself away by talking so loudly. She poked her head out a little from behind the rock. They weren't even trying to conceal themselves. Beka shook her head something was odd about the whole situation. She would hide here for another fifteen minutes and if they were gone she would head back towards the Maru. She hoped Harper would be there but she didn't expect him to be either. Something happened to him and she wasn't about to leave with out him.  
  
  
  
It took the better part of two hours to circle her way back through the tall grass till she could see the Maru. She lay in the tall grass nearby. These guys weren't too bright but she never thought for a minute that they would leave the ship unguarded. She shifted slightly as a small rock dug it's self into the base of her kneecap. 'Gawd! I hate planets she thought.'  
  
  
  
A hand grasped her arm, another quickly covered her mouth and Beka's yelp of surprise was muffled. The hand let go of her mouth and indicated silence. It was attached to a humanoid male. He was dressed different from the men that were chasing her. His medium length blonde hair matched the grass in the starlight but he looked about as home here as Beka did, which was not very. He indicated that she should follow him and they crept a few yards further back into the grass.  
  
  
  
"Who are you?" she whispered impatiently stopping their crawl further away from the Maru.  
  
  
  
"My name's Albin, are you Harper's friend?"  
  
  
  
Beka grabbed Albin by the shirt "Where is he?" she said in her most menacing voice.  
  
They guy flinched and she was glad to see it.  
  
"He's fine and not to far from here."  
  
"Take me to him NOW!"  
  
"SHH they'll hear you, and I'm afraid it's impossible."  
  
"What's impossible?" She drew her gauss gun. She couldn't tell in the dark if Albin went pale but she suspected it.  
  
  
  
"They are only hunting you not him, they saw you holding a piece of the ship, I will not condemn him."  
  
  
  
"What the hell are you talking about!" hissed Beka  
  
  
  
"Neither of you really do know do you?" Albin sounded surprised.  
  
Beka placed her weapon right against the middle of Albin's forehead. "Take me to him NOW!"  
  
Albin licked his lips once and gave a slight nod. And they started off the way they had just come.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"BOY SIT!" screamed Emillon she sat near a fire about 10 feet away sharpening one of her many knives.  
  
"Listen lady, I've had about enough! I'm going to find my friend whether you like it or not!" Harper wanted to prove he could get just as angry which he supposed was a stupid thing to try to prove but he was past caring. He leaned with his back against the cave wall and slowly pulled and hopped his way towards the exit.  
  
"IF YOU DON"T SIT I WILL TIE YOU UP LIKE A CHILD!"  
  
"You tie up your children?" Harper had to admit that surprised him. He took another hop towards the door.  
  
"Only bad ones like you." she started to sharpen her knife faster, which was more then a little disconcerting.  
  
"I told you I'm leaving, you said I wasn't a prisoner!"  
  
"You NOT! But you will be killed and I promised Albin to care for you."  
  
Harper deduced they were in a series of caves and that they were currently in one of the outer most. Ever so often another person would come talk to Emillon in a language Harper didn't understand. They all gave him a suspicious look and none of them ever stayed long. Right now there was only the two of them in the cave and Harper had gotten close enough to the exit that he could smell the fresh air. Man but his leg hurt though. Every hop was like getting a knife in his hip. Even with the splinting he dare not put any weight on it. He also noticed there was blood on his bandages.  
  
"Not one more!" warned Emillon. It sounded too much like a dare.  
  
Harper sneered at her and took another hop.  
  
"THAT"S IT!" screamed Emillon. She dumped her knives on the floor, picked up the rope that lay on the ground beside her and stormed towards Harper.  
  
Harper panicked. He let go of the wall and took a couple of quick step hops towards the door. But he landed kind of funny on the third and he ever so slightly put some weight on his broken leg. Harper promptly fell face first into the dirt with a gurgled scream.  
  
"AH HA!" yelled Emillon and she leapt on his back. She was not a small women and she had him suitable pinned. She started to tie his hands as he squirmed and tried to keep from blacking out from the pain.  
  
He managed to get one arm free but she quickly punched him in the nose.  
  
"Ow! Hey!" he yelped and his free hand flew to his nose to try to stop the bleeding.  
  
"What's going on here? Do you want me to leave you two alone?" It was none other then the amused voice of Beka Valentine.  
  
"Beka thank Gawd get this she devil off of me!" though he yelled it was muffled by the hand he held on his sore nose.  
  
"Grandma!" yelled Albin "get off him!"  
  
"Grandma!" snickered Beka  
  
"This is not funny." Harper was still very cross.  
  
"Wait till I tell Tyr!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Beka wiped tears from her eyes "Sorry." She snickered once more. Harper just glared at her.  
  
"What happened to you?" he questioned as she helped him back to the pallet that Albin and Emillon had made for him.  
  
They filled each other in on the events of the last few hours.  
  
Beka was more then shocked. "I didn't even feel us hit anything!"  
  
"I know it's weird, but we did have that piece of metal lodged in our hull. The one that the thugs saw you holding." Confirmed Harper.  
  
"I am getting a little worried, not just about the 'thugs' but the Andromeda should have found us by now."  
  
Harper nodded. Beka took a good look at him. They were close enough to the fire that she could see he was pale and his eyes were glassy. 'He's in more pain that he's admitting' she thought 'and he looks exhausted.' Beka turned to were Albin and Emillon sat in silence. "I know you didn't want to bring me here and that we are causing a great risk, but if you let us stay till dawn we will leave and you'll never see us again. We need to rest and to eat. We only want to get back to our home."  
  
Albin looked at her tensely as if trying to decide. But in the end it was Emillon that spoke.  
  
"You ask something you don't know." She started quietly. "There is a story, long old."  
  
Beka leaned against the wall beside Harper to listen  
  
"A Woman of our family walked in the far off trees, she walked many days to find food for her family. Near dead, animals that would eat her surrounded her. A man and his mate came to her and fought the beasts with only stones and saved her. They took her to their place and feed her and gave her food for her little ones. She made oath that she would always be kind to strangers if they asked. So when ever a women not of our kin asks us for help, we give."  
  
Beka nodded her thank. She looked towards Harper and realized he had fallen asleep against her shoulder.  
  
Albin didn't look happy but he didn't look like he was about to argue with Emillon either.  
  
Emillon handed Beka another blanket, which she used to cover Harper and herself.  
  
Albin sighed like he had given up the silent argument he was having with him self and crouched down by Harper. He lifted the blanket slightly feeling Harper's pulse. Harper didn't even move. 'He must have been exhausted' she thought, 'Harper had always been a light sleeper.'  
  
Albin then very gently checked the swelling on his leg.  
  
"When he wakes I'll give him some medicine"  
  
"Thank you, … for everything" This time it was Albin's turn to nod. "You're a doctor right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How did you ever get training here?"  
  
"I lived off world for a while."  
  
"I thought no ever left the planet."  
  
Albin smiled "Not for a long time, it's been thirty years. Emillon and I used to be Techno's. I left her behind, I wanted off this planet so bad."  
  
Beka met his eyes he looked sad.  
  
"I left my parents and Grandma behind." He continued. They died shortly after I left in an accident. A new Techno device they were testing. When I came back things on the planet had taken a real down turn. They town broke into to two groups, those who thought the advances were coming to fast and those who wanted to go faster. When I came back and landed my ship I had no idea I hadn't been in contact for years. I was mobbed by Techno's they took my ship and I ran to the caves, here I found my Grandmother. That was a year ago. The Techno's used the information from my ship and enhanced it. That was the ship you hit when you came here."  
  
"We didn't mean to hit the ship." Whispered Beka. "Hell we didn't even see it."  
  
"I know, but the Techno's won't see it that way, plus they've seen your ship. By tomorrow they will be dissecting it." 


	3. Chapter 3

Beka woke before the rest. She blinked her eyes to clear the sleep and took stock of where she was. Harper lay beside her fast asleep. The "Poor kid" had had a rough day.  
  
Emillon and Albin were starting to stir and she wished them good morning. The three mad lit talk and Beka even helped prepare breakfast though she warned them of her cooking before she started. When the smell off breakfast filled the small cave Beka heard an exaggerated yawn.  
  
"Good morning Seamus." She smiled without turning around.  
  
"You cooking Boss?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Is it safe?"  
  
"You don't have to eat." Beka joked  
  
"I'm starved!"  
  
The three ate and talked. Beka did notice Harper didn't meet Emillon's eyes. She smiled to her self. She would be able to tease him for years!  
  
"Well where do we start?" began Albin  
  
"Well we need Harper on his feet so we'll need a crutch or something. We need to get to a communication device. You say the Techno's might have something we use to fix the one on te Maru?"  
  
Albin nodded  
  
"Well I say," Beka continued back in command, "The Techno's will be expecting us to try to reclaim the Maru, so why not hit it and their base at the same time."  
  
"We'll need some distractions, it won't take much to build a small explosive devise, hell I could make it our of stuff we have here."  
  
Beka agreed with Harper. "Ok that's where we'll start. Emillon and I will look for something that we can build a crutch with and while we are doing that we'll scout the Techno's base. Albin will scout the Maru and you will get started building distractions."  
  
++++++++ 15 min later +++++++++  
  
Emillon found some clothes that Beka could use to disguise herself.  
  
"It's good." smiled Emillon.  
  
Albin hide a smile behind his hand.  
  
"I feel ridiculous!"  
  
Harper didn't try to hide his mirth. "HAHAHAHA! You look like Old Mother Hubbard."  
  
Beka had no idea who Old Mother Hubbard was but she was pretty sure it wasn't good.  
  
She glanced down at her clothes. She had on a long skirt like Emillon's and a loose pilgrim type shirt and a straw hat. All the clothes were much too big for her.  
  
Harper continued to laugh until tears streamed down his face.  
  
"Harper it's not that funny."  
  
"Yes," He gasped "yes it is!" he continued to giggle unabated until Emillon started hitting him with a long piece of wash rag.  
  
"Bad child, it is good!"  
  
Harper managed to stop laughing and stuck his tongue out at Emillon as she stepped away.  
  
Beka was rethinking her ability to hold the whole grandma incident over his head as she once again looked at her clothes "Oh well it's a disguise." She shrugged her shoulders in defeat.  
  
After a few more preparations they left Harper tinkering with some scraps of metal a couple of old lamps, batteries and some oil based substance used in the lamps. His Gauss gun was by his side.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Albin quickly disappeared over a hill in the general direction of the Maru and Beka and Emillon slowly made their way towards the Techno's camp doing their best not to look suspicious.  
  
"Emillon how long have you lived here?" Beka made small talk as they looked at a pile of old branches near some shrubs.  
  
"Forever." She answered back.  
  
Beka shook her head unable to imagine an entire life spent on any planet never mind this one.  
  
"You live on many planets?" questioned Emillon.  
  
"I've never lived on a planet, ever. I've been to many planets but that hunk of metal crashed in the dirt is my home."  
  
Emillon nodded "Then it's very important we help."  
  
Beka grasped Emillon's elbow to get her attention the older women turned to look her in the eye.  
  
"Thank you." Beka whispered.  
  
Emillon patted her on the shoulder and smiled. They continued on and not five minutes later Emillon handed Beka a stick Harper could use for a crutch.  
  
"A stick for your brother, the child."  
  
Beka blinked at her for a moment not understanding. "He's not my brother."  
  
"You care for him?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He is your brother."  
  
Beka wouldn't argue in many ways he was. They were in the thick bushes now about fifty yards from the Techno's base they crouched down a little. Beka was more then a little surprised. There was a lot of evidence that this had been a pretty advanced civilization but it must have digressed dramatically over the last twenty years. They were signs of explosions and parts of the base were in complete ruins. Some parts had been obviously rebuilt but with not as much skill.  
  
There seemed to be some security systems in place but nothing to advanced. Before Andromeda her crew had gotten into a lot more secure places. 'This is doable' she thought to her self.  
  
There were a lot of guards but she believed Harper's distractions would help with that and she whispered her thoughts to Emillon.  
  
2 hours later they all met back at the cave.  
  
Beka was amazed at what Harper had made out of virtually nothing. He had made 4 neat little bombs that were tucked into the the glass of the old lamps.  
  
"This is great really!"  
  
"Thanks boss." Smiled Harper happily.  
  
Harper was hopping around the cave with the help of his new cane. He was just glad to be back on his feet.  
  
"Man, now I just need a Sparky and I'll be ready to go."  
  
"Harper," cautioned Beka "you should still stay off that leg as much as possible."  
  
"Yes Mother." Replied Harper but both knew he wasn't about to sit still for long.  
  
"We should go tonight." Whispered Albin after he explained the situation at the Maru.  
  
The Maru would be harder then the base. They couldn't use the bombs to close to the Maru without causing more damage. And because the Techno's expected them to return it was heavily guarded.  
  
The plans were made though and they all agreed 3 hours after sunset they would put their plan in motion. 


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry this is a little long in coming but I hope you enjoy it.  
  
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Harper lay on his stomach among the tall grass; two remote control devices lay in the dirt in front of him. Albin was sneaking around the perimeter of the Maru planting the bombs slash distractions Harper had made. Harper had rechecked the remotes twice everything seemed in order, so he paused to wait for Albin to return. They ahd crossed the expansive field about an hour ago. The cane Beka had found for him had helped a lot but his leg still hurt and the long walk had made him tired, he shook himself too keep himself alert. The night was far from over. He saw movement out of the corner of his eyes. He did his best to peer through the grass. One of the Techno's stood in the door of the Eureka Maru. The man raised something to his lips and a long trail of green smoke followed, he looked around briefly and went back in side. "I wonder what that was all about whispered Harper. Albin where are you?" Moments passed Albin didn't return. He would wait five more before he would attempt to go find him. A slight breeze rustled the grass and his hair. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. Being on ship after ship he missed the wind. He felt the dirt under his hand and the grass brush against his face. 'How could Beka hate planets' he wondered almost dreamily.  
  
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At the Techno's main camp  
  
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A small breeze drifted over the plain.  
  
"Phew, blech!" Beka spitted dirt out of her mouth and shivered how Harper could like planets she would never understand. She had left Emillon ten minutes ago to make her way into the base to plant Harper's homemade bombs. They thought it was better if only one went in. Emillon would wait for Harper and Albin's signal. When she saw the signal she would enter the town. The town was the one that Beka had entered to look for help when they first arrived and it was situated at the entrance to the Techno's camp. Once Emillon had entered the town she would cause a third distraction. She wouldn't tell Beka what that was and Beka wasn't sure she wanted to know. She smiled evilly to her self Emillon reminded her a lot of Harper. Beka found a hole in the damaged fencing around the base and slide through. She ran low in the darkness to the first building she could find. She heard voices through an open window and shook her head. She wanted to find and abandoned building to blow up. She ran quickly to the next nearest one avoiding the little spots of light that shone on the dirt from the lamps on various buildings. She ducked inside the door of a little white building that had sounded quiet. It was a very large building. She wandered into one of the larger rooms and looked around. It was a bunkhouse but the beds all lay empty. Mattresses had been tossed on the floors the blankets stripped. There was also a thick layer of dust on everything. She shrugged this was as good as place as any. She placed the first bomb on a table and ducked back out side.  
  
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Outside the Maru  
  
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Harper tried to stay low as he leaned heavily on his cane. Feeling very much like an old man. He had been searching for Albin but he couldn't find him. There was no sign of the bombs, nothing. Harper was getting worried. Albin had said he would be right back but after limping around the perimeter of the Maru in a wide circle there was still no sign that Albin had even come this way. As he approached the spot Albin had left him he heard voices and dropped to the ground swallowing a hiss of pain. There were Techno's beating the grass where he had been hiding. Worse even Albin stood with them.  
  
"This is where I left him. He couldn't have gotten far he has a broken leg!" Albin swore  
  
"You better not be conning us again Albin." Growled a Techno.  
  
"No, I'm not." Replied Albin nervously. "I'm telling you this kid is the engineer he can build anything. I showed you the bombs he made out nothing didn't I?"  
  
The Techno nodded. "But, you said he could make this ship fly again and that's a big step up from making bombs."  
  
"I know, I know" Albin raised his hands pleading. "But he's smart and with the women out of the picture he'll do anything for us." He then smiled looking exactly like proverbial snake in the grass. "Trust me." 


	5. Chapter 5

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This is it, the last chapter…hope you enjoyed it  
  
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Techno's camp exterior  
  
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Beka had planted the second bomb and had made it out side again with out to many problems. She did have to wait inside a door frame for about ten minutes while two men who seemed to be on guard duty stood near her hiding spot and loudly discussed some sort of card game they had just played. But eventually they had moved on and Beka was out side the fence again in seconds. She had been annoyed at the delay and hoped fervently that Harper had fired the flare signal yet.  
  
She headed back to where she had left Emillon. The grass looked trampled down so this must be where I left her thought Beka but there was no sign of her. Beka looked towards the village but all was quiet there.  
  
"Where is she?" She whispered aloud. Then she noticed something out of the corner of her eye, a piece of cloth. Beka picked it up and examined it. It was a piece of Emillon skirt and there was a blood speckled on it.  
  
"Aww, crap." She swore using one of Harper's favorite.  
  
She wadded further into the grass and she saw her. Emillon laid quietly, the blood surrounding her soaking into the dry ground. Beka closed her eyes, quickly mourning for her unusual friend. It didn't last long though as the night sky erupted while gauss rifle fire and Beka ran.  
  
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Outside the Maru.  
  
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Harper once again lay in the dirt. "This is not happening, no,no,no,no." The thoughts ran through his mind. 'Beka is not dead, I am not alone.' I need to find her, I need to…. He looked up to where Albin still stood with the Techno's as they searched for him and he was over whelmed with anger. He unclipped his Gauss gun his hands shaking with rage. Took aim and opened fire. He was happy to see Albin scream as he took a hit from Harper in the shoulder and fell to the ground. Harper kept firing three more techno's fell to the ground before he heard a noise behind him. Harper turned but as he turned he received a solid kick to his ribs. His body recoiled across the dirt. Gasping, arms wrapped around his sides he looked up.  
  
"Look what I found." Snarled the Techno that stood over him.  
  
"Awww crap" swore Harper. Then, over the Techno's shoulder, he saw it, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.  
  
  
  
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Beka ran towards the Maru hoping that Albin and Harper had managed to secure it. She ran with a squad of fifteen Techno's on her tail firing all the way. Ever so often she returned fire, then with her sides acheing from the exertion she ran on. She ducked and swerved keeping her eye on the horizon where the Maru was, where her home was, then she saw it, the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Hope surged through her empowering her and she ran faster.  
  
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On the Andromeda  
  
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"I have them on scanner Captain."  
  
"Great Rommie protect them as best as you can, Trance get med deck ready, Tyr, Rev with me to the slip fighters."  
  
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The Techno with his gun trained on Harper followed his gaze towards the sky as the Andromeda Ascendant came in to view. Amazement and awe covered the man's face.  
  
"I know she's a beaut isn't she?" Harper smiled giddy with relief.  
  
The man turned towards Harper charging up his weapon. Harper knew that look it was desperation. The man took aim. Harper closed his eyes but the end never came.  
  
"Boy, on your feet!" Harper opened his eyes. Tyr stood gun trained on the startled Techno. "Get to the ship now we're leaving."  
  
"Good to see you to Tyr." Harper smiled. Tyr saw Harper's leg then and hit the techno across the head with his rifle. Harper wasn't sure but Tyr looked angry and that anger wasn't directed towards him.  
  
"I'm ok big guy, just help me up ok?" Harper whispered  
  
Tyr helped him up and with his arm across his shoulder they made their way back to the slip fighter.  
  
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Beka's feet flew across the ground. She ran over the last small hill. On the other side stood two figures dressed in black armor. One stood gun raised one looked to be carrying a bo staff. She smiled rolling on her shoulder and turning back the way she came with Dylan and Rev flanking her. They didn't need to return fire though. Rommie took care of that and the night light up and the sky rained fire.  
  
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Half hours later on board the Andromeda.  
  
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Beka entered med deck on Dylan's command even though she had demanded to be their when they recovered the Maru, Dylan would hear of it and said she wouldn't see it at all unless she went to med deck. After a few glares she gave up and headed to Med deck. She should check on Harper anyway.  
  
Harper lay on a med bed and trance ran a scanner over his knee. Harper looked up and met her eyes as she entered. He flew off the bed and had his arm wrapped around her waist before she even could say hello.  
  
She tipped over and they both landed in a heap on the floor.  
  
"Beka your alive!" Harper gasped joyfully.  
  
"You didn't know?" She laughed  
  
"I was to afraid to ask."  
  
Dylan walked in looking at his very dirty very tired crewmembers that lay on the floor. His eyebrow rose.  
  
Beka picked her self up and tried to straighten her clothes.  
  
"What exactly happened on that planet Beka?"  
  
Beka laughed. "It's a long story……….about the kindness of strangers" 


End file.
